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The Glue That Holds Startups Together

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Wishing you a happy SUNDAY!
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THE LEAN LESSON
Trust: The Glue That Holds Startups Together
Startups are tough. Without trust, even the strongest teams crumble under pressure.
Trust is built through transparency, communication, and consistency. As a founder, you set the tone.
Share your challenges with your team and create an environment where feedback flows both ways.
For instance, Buffer, a social media company, shares its salaries and revenue publicly to foster trust.
While you don’t have to go that far, being open about goals and challenges can build a strong foundation.
Action Points:
Schedule regular one-on-ones with team members to listen and offer support.
Follow through on promises, no matter how small.
Create safe spaces for honest conversations, ensuring everyone feels heard.
TECH TUESDAY
How DeepSeek Is Disrupting AI and the Global Economy
Hey there! Have you heard about DeepSeek, the latest AI model taking the world by storm?
It’s built by a Chinese startup in Hangzhou, and it skyrocketed to the top of Apple’s App Store almost overnight!
Tech investors and analysts are stunned, and for good reason—DeepSeek is proving that you don’t need a billion-dollar budget or high-end supercomputers to build cutting-edge AI.
What Makes DeepSeek So Special?
The biggest shocker?
It’s ridiculously cost-efficient.
While OpenAI’s top models cost over $100 million to develop, DeepSeek was built in under two months for less than $6 million. That’s a game-changer.
Until now, the AI industry has revolved around expensive hardware and massive infrastructure.
But DeepSeek is proving that AI can be powerful without draining your bank account. If this trend continues, AI could become affordable for every business, no matter how small.
A Big Shake-Up in the AI Market
DeepSeek isn’t just making waves—it’s causing financial ripples too. Nvidia, the top supplier of AI chips, has lost $600 billion in market value because of this.
Why? If AI models can be trained with less computing power, then companies may not need as many high-performance chips, reducing demand for expensive hardware.
But there’s more to this story. The U.S. has been the dominant force in AI for years, but DeepSeek is showing that China isn’t just catching up—it’s innovating in ways no one expected.
Despite restrictions on advanced chip exports, China’s AI sector is proving that necessity drives invention.
What’s Next for AI?
Of course, there are still questions about DeepSeek’s long-term impact. AI needs to be trustworthy, ethical, and transparent, and that’s where things get tricky.
Governments and businesses will closely watch how this model evolves, especially in terms of data privacy and regulation.
So, what happens now? Two possible outcomes:
Some companies might slow down AI investments because they’re unsure about where the industry is heading.
AI becomes more cost-effective, making it easier for businesses worldwide to adopt and integrate AI into their daily operations.
The Human Factor: AI Won’t Replace Us
Let’s be real—AI is evolving fast, but it’s not about to replace human creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. If anything, businesses will need to train their teams to work alongside AI instead of fearing it.
Why This Matters to You
DeepSeek’s success is a reminder that big innovations can come from unexpected places. Whether it becomes a long-term leader or just a short-term disruptor, one thing is clear: AI is changing, and businesses must adapt quickly.
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